


Archangel’s Mate

by Jena Bartley (jenab)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:20:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29267136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenab/pseuds/Jena%20Bartley
Summary: It’s been six months since Gabriel had pulled him out of Hell and bound them together.Diverges from canon after the end of Season Five
Relationships: Gabriel/Sam Winchester
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 6





	Archangel’s Mate

**Author's Note:**

  * For [roguefaerie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/roguefaerie/gifts).



The water pressure was fantastic for a change, hot and steady, beating down over him. The tub was clean and the showerhead high enough that Sam could stand up straight and not have to contort his body to ensure he got wet. 

Sam took his time, enjoying the hot water soothed and loosed up muscles that had gone tense from adrenalin and being tossed about from the latest hunt. He knew by the time he finished any lingering aches would be completely gone as he felt a tingle run through his body. 

Stepping out of the shower he found the towel has become larger and softer, wrapping around his hips once he dried off. 

Sam wiped away the steam from the mirror, taking a long look at himself. 

He’d gotten use to seeing dark circles under his eyes, speaking of not enough sleep, too much running and fighting. The weight of the past decade of grief and anger and loss lurked in the back of his eyes and his shoulders had not as straight as they once were, weighted down from the ongoing battles to save both the world and his brother. 

Over the past six months the shadows had started to fade and his shoulders were looser, no longer slumped from the weight of his sins. Feeling clean all the way down to his soul in a way he’d thought would never happen after the choices he made, drinking demon’s blood, freeing Lucifer and even the taint of Azazel’s blood running through him. 

The hand print on his shoulder was still bright red. There was the faintest imprint of feathers across his chest and shoulders from wings that had wrapped around him as he’d been carried out of the Cage and Hell. 

Sam touched the mark, feeling a rush of warmth and home and safety flowing through him even though Gabriel was still in Heaven. 

When Gabriel joined Team Free Will after being unmasked, he and Sam had quickly fallen into bed. The sex had been rough, frantic and mind blowing that left the occasional bed broken, Dean banging on the wall and Sam feeling sated and exhausted enough to sleep without any dreams of Lucifer or other nightmares. 

Then Gabriel had died and Sam realized it wasn’t just sex, at least not on his side. Not with the way grief had lodged behind his ribs, so similar to when Jess died. 

Another death that Sam carried with him into the Cage.

Until Gabriel turned out to be alive, diving into Hell to free Sam.

Sam remembered the light and fury that was Gabriel descending on the Cage to pull him out, of him facing off with both his brothers to free Sam. He remembers how Gabriel cradled him in his arms and wings. 

Gabriel had held onto him so tightly he’d left his mark on Sam’s shoulder, threading his Grace through Sam’s soul to bind them together. 

A bond that fell profound and holy, letting Sam get a glimpse into Gabriel and to the realization that Gabriel loved him. 

It’s taken time for Sam to even comprehend what that meant. That an angel, let alone an Archangel could care him despite everything that Sam had dome. 

It hasn’t helped that Sam’s experiences with angels haven’t been great from the contempt they treated him with as both a human and tainted by Azazel to torturing and killing both him and Dean. Even Gabriel had put him through hell in Mystery Spot, trying to get Sam to follow destiny. 

_“I was going to tell you who I was after Mystery Spot or at least help you out. I knew I didn’t succeed and I knew that was on me because it’s only been you and Dean against the world for your lives with how you’ve been isolated from the rest of the world and even from the hunters’ world. But I chickened out. I should have come to you after Dean had died to at least be there.”_

Gabriel’s said this to him before when Sam had asked him what it was between them. Not able to understand how Gabriel could love him. 

_“So this is just you trying to make amends.” A note of bitterness had crept into Sam’s voice._

_“No!” Gabriel looked so fierce when he gazed back at Sam. “This has never been about making amends. Or maybe a small part of it was originally. But I care for you Sam, probably more than I should. You’ve fought so hard to redeem yourself and to heal the rift between you and Dean. You know what its like to run from family because the fighting got so bad._

_“It’s about how your soul shines so brightly despite how Azazel tried to corrupt it and how you’ve welcomed me even with everything I’ve done to you. When it gets to much trying to put Heaven to rights and stop my brothers and sisters from killing each other I can come here to you and find peace. Not that the sex isn’t fantastic.”_

_He waggled his eyebrows at Sam, a hint of the mischievous trickster behind it, making Sam laugh._

_“I claimed you when I pulled you out of Hell because I couldn’t bear a world on Earth without you in it and you didn’t deserve to be in Hell.” Gabriel said._

Those words had stayed with Sam when the doubts would sometimes creep in again or he and Gabriel were arguing. 

The last six months have been rocky as they navigated through their new bond, learning to live again without the end of the world hanging over them. 

Gabriel’s also had to learn what it meant to be both an Archangel again and keep some of his pagan ways. He’d returned to Heaven, to help Castiel stop the fighting between angels and build a new way of living without Michael or God to give the angels orders. The work left him cranky and tired, weighing on him. 

It led to Gabriel sniping at Sam. Sometimes Sam ended up storming out, or Gabriel would snap his fingers and take off. 

But they were learning to work through that, building something solid between them. 

A surge of warmth through their bond along with flutter of wings had alerted Sam to his angel’s arrival. 

Heat along his back had Sam turning to wrap his arms around Gabriel. He cupped Gabriel’s cheek, leaning down to kiss him softly. Gabriel signed, relaxing into Sam’s arms. 

When he pulled back to look at Gabriel he could see the tiredness in the angel but also a softness in his eyes when he gazed up at Sam. 

Gabriel snapped his fingers and they were tumbling into a much larger bed. 

Sam took his time taking Gabriel apart, watching as Gabriel lost himself under Sam’s hands and mouth. In awe of how Gabriel let himself be so vulnerable with Sam, trusting that he was safe in Sam’s arms and could let himself be cared for. 

Afterwards, they curled up together, Sam pulling the covers over them. Gabriel didn’t need to sleep but he did love to cuddle, tucked into Sam. 

Sam stroked his fingers through Gabriel’s hair. He still has his doubts and insecurities about Gabriel binding himself to Sam but he was coming to realize that this was something truly good in his life. That he was looking forward to a future being with Gabriel.


End file.
